But O'Neill gave the link short shrift on Thursday evening, saying: "I have had no contact whatsoever from anyone at the Irish FA at this moment and there's not much more I can say about it."

It is reported that the Ulsterman would be open to an approach, while former Ireland manager McCarthy, currently in charge at Ipswich, has not distanced himself from speculation linking him to the vacancy.

Whoever the new Republic of Ireland manager is, he could face a baptism of fire in Germany.

He said: "There's no doubt about it, he could do the job standing on his head. No problem.

"I've always said he's a fantastic manager and it would be up to him whether he'd want to go into international football or go back to club football. I don't know but whoever takes him has got a great manager."

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.